Re: CULT: IRIS WORM

>In a message dated 8/18/00 9:41:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>dkramb@badbear.com writes:
>
><< Mark, in addition to cleaning the dead foliage, I also chop back my irises
> to about 2"-3" tall in early October and have had NO borer this year. And
> I don't ever use chemicals. Presumably chopping back the foliage &
> cleaning up the debris at this time of year robs the moths of a place to
> lay their eggs. >>
>
>Dennis,
> This could be very interesting for those in borer prone areas. Does
>this harm the growth and increase on the Iris, or have the leaves fed the
>plants all they were going to anyway? If this proves to be a way to grow
>Irises chemical-free, I am all for it.
It did not affect the spring bloom at all. There were plenty of stalks and
flowers. I suspect that by October the plants have pretty much matured to
bloom-sized rhizomes. But I don't really know that for sure.
While it's only been 1 year, I think it's compelling evidence. Out of
hundreds of clumps of irises, there were no borers, with no chemicals.
That just can't be a fluke.
Dennis Kramb; dkramb@badbear.com
Cincinnati, Ohio USA; USDA Zone 6
http://www.badbear.com/dkramb/home.html
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